Incubator



Mmh 31, 1942. G. T. MARKEY 2,218,205

ATTORNEY March 31 1942 G. T. AMARKEY v 2,278,205

'INcUBAToR Filed Deo. 28, 1959 2 Sheets-sheet 2 `m vf/y ro GEORGEZ'MAKfY Patented Mar. 31, 1942 INCUBATOR l George T. Markey, FortAtkinson, Wis., assignor l to James Manufacturing Company, FortAtkinson, Wis., a company of Wisconsin Application December 28, 1939,Serial No. 311,276 s claims. (o1. 11s-'37) A further object of thepresent invention is to provide an incubator which is easily understoodand conveniently handled by unskilled help such as may be found on somesmall farms and backyard poultry farms.

To .these and other useful ends, my invention consists of parts,combinations of parts, or their equivalents, and mode of operation, ashereinafter set forth and claimedv and shown in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional view of my improved device taken onlines I--I of Figure 2'.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the device shown in Figure 1 taken online 2-2 of this figure.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the device shown in Figures 1and 2 taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the cage rocking device as viewed from therear side of the door.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the air directing plate positioned overthe water pan.

As thus illustrated, my improved incubator comprises insulated sidewalls Ill and II and an 35 insulated rear Wall I2. An insulated frontwall I3 is provided having an opening for an insulated door which, inits entirety, is designated by reference character A.

I have illustrated an incubator having prefer- 40 ably three trays whichin their entirety are designated by reference character B. Trays B aresupported on strips I4 so they may be removed or replaced drawer-likewhen door A is open. These trays are each preferably provided, asillustrated, with live egg holding cages which may be similar to thecage illustrated in my patent No. 1,796,872, March 1'7, 1931.

The cages are designated in their entirety by reference character C andare, as is the custom, hingedly mounted in trays B as at I5. Insofar .asthe present invention is concerned, any style of tray or cage may beused. The assembly differs from the conventional cages and trays in thatend of the tray (see Figures 1 and 2). This means comprises a member I6which slidably ts over the front end member of the tray and havingrearwardly projecting prongs I'I, one foreach cage, which are engaged byslots I8 formed in the top of the end members of cages C. 'Thus whenmember I6 is oscillated, the cages Will be rocked back and forth. Thismovement ofzithe cages is accomplished from the front oil `the f cabinetas will hereinafter appear.

I provide a motor I9 having a disc 20` secured to the front end of itsshaftas illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. Disc' 20 is provided with anumber of fan blades 2|. Motork I9 is positioned concentrically inopening 22, the opening being slightly larger than the diameter of themotor. Thus a small volume of air will be drawn into the cabinet throughthe annular spacegthusfformed, the entering air acting to cool themotor.4 In vother words, the motor Will act to preheat the enteringoutside air.

A quantity of air is discharged from the cabinet through outlet-23positionedpreferably. in door A as illustrated in Figure 2. A suitablegate valve 24 may be used to regulate the size of this" outlet. Thuswhatever air is permitted to be discharged by the position of valve 24,an equal volume will pass into the cabinet through'annular space 22.

In devices of the class, 'it is necessary to heat the recirculated airto a temperature suitable for incubating and hatching.k For the purpose,`I provide an electric resister 30 having a thermally controlled switch3|.

I provide a thermometer 32the` stem protruding through member I3`whereby Athe opera'- tor may view the temperatureof the circulating airwithout opening the door.

The fan motor is adapted to move air into, through and out ofthe cabinetas illustrated by arrows. Partition 33 having a flange 34 and partition36 having a liarige 31 act to form an air passageway adjacent the top,bottom andrear walls of the cabinet. V f

I provide` a water pan 38 inthe bottom of the cabinet having a suitabletube connection (not shown) whereby the desired quantity of water may bemaintained in the panor thepan may be pulled out drawer like farv enoughmay be added as needed.

A Member 36 is provided with side flanges IIJ-40 therear end being wideenough to support this member on the bottom of the cabinet in theposition shown. Members 40 taper upwardly toward the front end ofmemberv 3B as illustrated the means for rocking the cages is on the doorby dotted lines in rFigure 2 and'by full lines in Vso water Figure 5,the front end being adjustable vertically by means hereinafterdescribed, whereby more or less of the air may be diverted over thewater in the pan. For example, the free end 4| of member 36 may bedropped down so it lies on the pan at its front end and thus practicallyno air will pass over the water in the pan, all of the air beingV forcedtopass between member 36 and the bottom tray. However, if the free endof member 36 is raised, then some of the air will be caused to travelunder this member and over the water in the pan. Thus by moving the freeend of member 36 up or down, the humidity of the air in the cabinet maybe controlled.

Referring now specically to.Figures-12rand `4, I slidably meunt avertically positioned' bar 42V on the inner surface of the door by meansof a bar 43 and brackets 44-44.. A link 45 is pivotally connected tomember 42 and to a crank.46,.

the crank being secured to a shaft 41 which extendsl .through` door Aandhaving, secured thereto at'.its outer; end, aknob 48.; Thus bygrasping theknobA 48,1 member 42-.may be moved to the rightor1eftandcaused torockthe cages as follows:

Brackets Siloare secured to members I6 and adapted to looselyembracemember 42 when the door-is :shut (see;Figure 1). Thus when knob 48islturned one way Ortheother, member 42 will cause members I6`tooscillateand rock the cages accordingly. i

Itwill be seen that once or twice a day the operator'may turn the knobto the right or left thus-to shift-the cages as is the custom inincubatorsof the class;

InFigure 4 I illustrate pins 5| which contact members 44 whenthe cagesare in their proper angled position.

Thus it will be seen that when the door is opened, memberr 42 will bedisengaged from members50 and that the trays may then be removed andreplaced drawer like. ItV will also be seen that when the upper tray isremoved, member 33 maybe removed drawer like. -Members 33 and36faresuitably mounted for this purpose. Thus the cabinet may beeasilyemptied of trays and other partsl and cleaned and disinfected andthe mechanism is such as will make it possible to handle the eggs aseasily as they are handled in p large incubators and that the thermalelectric heating system and means for humidifying the air will operateas eificientlyiinA maintaining the proper condition ofthe circulating`air as in a large incubator. y

By*` referring to Figures 2` and,3, it, will be, noted that I haveprovided, frontsupporting brackets 55%55.4 for member 33 andV 'spacedrear supporting brackets l56. (onesnot shown), the rearbracketsl'aeingsefcured'= to therear panel of the cabinetand. arrangedto` embrace the lower end-` of member 34 so as to determine thelongitudinal position of member 33. It will alsQ-benotedthat Ihaveprovided preferably a notched block. 51 with which. todeterminegfthe vertical position: of member 4L; AL short narrow-ybracket 58 is securedN tothevrear panel, of the cabinet and is providedwitha projection long enough to determine the distance between member31- and the rear panel of the cabinet. Thus-member 4l may be lowered sothe frontend of -member V36will lie on-fthe; topjof thel pan; thus toprevent air from passing-.in Contact` with the water. MemberE 51lmayalsobemwedso as toraise the front end of member y3btogitsfshighest5position,so that practically all of the circulating airwill pass under member 36 and over the water in the pan.

By scrutinizing Figure 2, it will be seen that the fan acts to cause adirectional air movement within the cabinet as indicated by arrows. Thatis, air will be moved toward the fan in the center of the cabinet andoutwardly and away from the fan on the inner sidesl of members, 33 and36; that some ofthe air will be, moved rearwardly over member 33 andunder member 36 thus some of the recirculated air passes the resisterand thermally controlled switch; that some of the air will pass undermember 36 and over the water in pan 38 and then in rear of member 31 andthat the; incoming outside air will be warmed and caused to join therecirculating air.

Having thus shown and described my invention, I claim:

1. An incubator of the class described, comprising a cabinet having adoor in its front end, ak number of egg trays positioned in verticalspaced relation in said cabinet and being removable and replaceabledrawer-like when said door is open, egg cages hingedly mounted on thefront and rear walls of said trays, means on the front walls of saidtraysadapted to be oscillated and thereby rock said cages, means on saiddoor adaptedto engage said last means when the door is-clcsed, means onthe exterior` of said door and having an operating connection tot saidlast means whereby-said cages may be rocked back and forth manually whensaid door is closed, andamotor positioned in an opening in the rearpanel orY said cabinet having a fan operatively connected theretoadaptedl to circulate the air in said cabinet.

2'. A device as recited in claim 1 including; said first; meanscomprising a vertical bar transversely slidablymounted on said door.`

3. A device as recited in claim 1 including; said opening being somewhatlarger than the motorto thereby form an annular air inlet/passageway,and an air cutletin said cabinet positioned a distance from said motorwhereby a quantity of outside air willbe drawn into said cabinet and anequal quantity of recirculated air is discharged throughv said outlet.

4. An incubator of the class described, comprising a cabinet having afront door, a motor positioned in an opening in the rear panel of saidcabinet and havingA a fan operatively connected at the inner endthereof, a number of trays having egg cages and being spaced verticallyand slidably mounted on the side walls of said cabinet and beingremovable drawer-like when said doorris opened, brackets mounted on thefront ends of said trays andjadapted to rock said cages when oscillated,and means onsaid door adapted to operatively engage said brackets whensaid door is closed, said lastl means having an operating connectionwhich extends through said door and having means whereby the cages maybe rocked from the exterior.

5.An incubator of the class described, comprigingya cabinet having a,front door, a number of' vertically spaced trays slidably mounted on theside walls of said cabinet and being removable drawer-like when saiddoor is open, a nurnv'loer of egg cages rotatably mounted in said trays,`means for heating, humidifying and circulating air between said trays,means slidably mounted onl the forward ends of said trays adapted torock the cages therein and means on said door adapted to operativelyengage said'. last mean when said door is closed, and means on theexterior of said door having a connection extending Athrough said doorand an operating connection to said ycage rocking means whereby thecages may be rocked from the exterior when said door is closed.

6. An incubator of the class described, comprising a cabinet having anumber of vertically spaced trays, a door in the front of said cabinetand means whereby when the door is open, said trays may be removed andreplaced drawer like, a fan motor mounted in the rear panel of saidcabinet and having a fan Secured to the inner end of its shaft, andplates positioned between the top and bottom trays and the top andbottom walls of said cabinet and having inturned flanges on their rearends, said plates and inturned flanges being positioned whereby a partof the circulated air is moved forward and then moved outwardly andrearwardly between said plates and the cabinet walls and then inwardlyto said fan.

'7. A device as recited in claim 6 including; a water pan positioned 0nthe floor of said cabinet and means on said bottom plate whereby theforward end may be raised and lowered to thereby cause more or less airto impinge the water in said pan.

8. An incubator of the class described, comprising a cabinet, a numberof vertically spaced trays slidably mounted on the side walls of saidcabinet, a front door in said cabinet providing means whereby said traysmay be removed and replaced drawer-like when the door is open, means insaid cabinet adapted to circulate and heat the air therein,v a water panpositioned on the bottom of said cabinet and in the path of thecirculating air, and a plate, one end being rockingly mounted a shortdistance above said pan, the other end having adjusting means thereby tocause more or less circulating air to impinge the water in said pan.

. GEORGE T. MARKEY.

